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NHL Season Preview Part 4:Metro Division

October 2, 2013 by Leave a Comment

NHL_Eastern_Conference

The Cover 4.com presents you with the NHL Season Preview Part 4:Metro Division! Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter at @thecover4 or facebook at theCo VerFour

In  the final installment of our season preview, we swing back to the Eastern Conference and take a look at the newly formed and named Metropolitan Division. The Metro is a star-studded division featuring the likes Claude Giroux, Rick Nash, Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Alex Ovechkin.  This division figures to be the most intense, keeping great rivalries such as Flyers-Penguins, Flyers-Rangers and Rangers-Islanders together, while adding new, great divisional rivalries like Flyers-Caps and Pens-Caps. Let’s take a look at how the division figures to break down.

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CAROLINA HURRICANES 

The Hurricanes are one of those teams you look at on paper and wonder just why they were so bad last year? The answer is goaltender Cam Ward. He is the key to this Carolina team and when he went down last year, so did the team. Their top=six forwards are strong, and include two Staals, Eric and Jordan, as well as Jeff Skinner and Alexander Semin. The No. 5 overall pick this summer, Elias Lindholm is also supposed to make the team. Offensively this team should be ok. Where it really went wrong last year was trying to stop the puck from going in the net. In the offseason the Hurricanes lost defensemen Jamie McBain and Joe Corvo, not that they were helping out much with the defense last year, and picked up Mike Komisarek and Andrej Sekera. The Hurricanes allowed the second-most goals last season (159), ranking at the near top of list of teams who faced the most shots. It is easy to see why this team was bad. Tim Gleason, Joni Pitkanen, Jay Harrison and Justin Faulk, all return and are not exactly names that make teams think they are going to be running into a lot of problems. The Hurricanes made some improvements to the blue line, but I don’t see enough of an improvement here to be talking playoffs. The potential to be wrong with that prediction is there, but I feel they did not do enough to help themselves.

Sergei Bobrovsky

COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS

Columbus is one of my favorite up-and-coming teams in this league and it has finally found themselves in the Eastern Conference where it belongs.  It has what is essentially the same roster back and barely missed the playoffs last year. It is in a much tougher division this year however, and will need to play its best hockey every night to have a chance at making the playoffs. With that said, the Blue Jackets will need to ride Vezina Trophy-winning goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky throughout the year to succeed. Bobrovsky was practically given away from the Philadelphia Flyers two years ago and last year blossomed into what he was supposed to all along. He was out to prove many wrong, and he did just that. Their biggest off season signing, Nathan Horton, is recovering from shoulder surgery but his offensive production is expected to help when he returns. Marian Gaborik, who is in a contract year, will look to lead the team offensively, but like always with him, he will need to stay healthy.  Artem Anisimov was re-signed and is also expected to score and be a top-six forward while R.J. Umberger, Nick Foligno and Brandon Dubinsky are also secondary scorers. Jack Johnson, Fedor Tyutin and James Wisniewski are all veterans who can fill big defensive roles for this club. The No. 2 overall pick in 2012, Ryan Murray hopes an injury from last year is behind him, and he is ready to go for this season. If they can replicate everything that went right for them last year, the Blue Jackets should be in the mix for a playoff spot.

martin-brodeur

NEW JERSEY DEVILS 

Who exactly is supposed to score goals on this team? Over the last two years it has lost any resemblance of a team that knows how put pucks in the net. The Devils lost Ilya Kovalchuk to his “retirement” to the KHL, David Clarkson to Toronto and Alexei Ponikarovsky, who was never really that great to start with. They added Jaromir Jagr, Ryane Clowe and Michael Ryder doing themselves no favors trying to get younger and still being as equally goal challenged as before. These are hard times for the Devils as they are now owned by the NHL, and Martin Brodeur fades into retirement after this season. Adam Henrique, Patrik Elias and Travis Zajac get the call to light the lamp, but don’t expect staggering numbers. If one thing went right this offseason, it was finding an eventual replacement for Brodeur via Vancouver. Cory Schneider will be the backup, but he should also get a bulk of the starts as well. The Devils likely will have their worst season in years and finish last in the division.

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NEW YORK ISLANDERS

Over the last four years, it may not have looked like it at the time, but the Islanders were building a team with a lot of potential. Last year, that team finally came out. A team built from newly-named captain John Tavares  features the young talent of Matt Moulson, Michael Grabner , Kyle Okposo Josh Bailey, Travis Hamonic, Ryan Strome and soon-to-be NHLer Griffin Reinhart. The Islanders are one of the fastest teams in the NHL and can hang and wear teams down over the course of a game. See the Pittsburgh series from last year’s playoffs. The Islanders should have beaten the Penguins, but go no help from their goaltending. Okposo had an awful year last year scoring just four goals, and will be needed this year to help contribute. The team lost defenseman Mark Streit, which hurts their power play but Lubomir Visnovsky can fill that role. Among their other defensemen, the Islanders are in trouble. There is not much there in terms of overwhelming talent and will be a weakness for them this year.  Evgeni Nabokov is 38 and played OK in the regular season, but his postseason was one to forget. Backup goalie Kevin Poulin provides no hope. Expect the Islanders to be fast and sexy, but I think this team needs some help on defense and in goal before talking playoffs this year.

Henrik Lundqvist

NEW YORK RANGERS

Out is head coach John Tortorella and new bench boss, Alain Vigneault formerly of Vancouver, takes over. Vigneault should be the right coach for this team, finally freeing the players from the defensive-minded vice grip Tortorella had on them. That means Rick Nash, Brad Richards and Derick Brassard have their handcuffs off and should be ready to fire at will at the net.  Ryan Callahan and Derek Stepan, two of the best two-way forwards in the NHL, will also have an easier time playing more to their game, although not much is expected to change with how they produce. New addition Benoit Pouliot is also an ideal third-line player and should be interesting to watch on this team as he can score if paired with the right players. On defense, Marc Staal is recovered from a career-threatening eye injury. It will be interesting see how he approaches stepping in front of a puck now. Also in that group is Dan Girardi, Ryan McDonagh and Michael Del Zotto who are all sound NHL defensemen.  Goaltending, we all know what to expect from Henrik Lundqvist, but with a less defensive sound team now, it will interesting to see how he responds. Expect for the Rangers to compete for the top of the division.

Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, James Neal, Kris Letang

PITTSBURGH PENGUINS

We hear it every year, they have the two best players in the world in Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. The team around them is built to win and score, as the Penguins were NHL’s highest-scoring team at 3.38 goals per game during the regular season. They lost all those shiny new “old” toys in Jarome Iginla, Brenden Morrow and Douglas Murray they acquired last year as well as gritty forward and fan favorite Matt Cooke, and Tyler Kennedy to a trade. Instead of going out and signing new players with high upside, they put all of their money into known commodities Chris Kunitz and Pascal Dupuis. The top six will look the same, minus a potential rotating door of Beau Bennett  and Jussi Jokinen on the Malkin and James Neal line. Where the Penguins will really be hurting is the lack of size and grit from their bottom six forwards. Brandon Sutter and newcomer Matt D’Agostini will try to help with lower line scoring. On defense, they kept Kris Letang around, which is huge and signed defenseman Rob Scuderi, an old familiar face, back to the team. The Penguins are beyond loaded with organizational depth on defense and once again it should not be much of an issue (although it was during the playoffs). The biggest question mark is goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, who once again fell apart in the playoffs. He saw a sports psychologist during the offseason to help, but this is a make or break year for his career. Backup goaltender Tomas Vokoun is out indefinitely with a blood clot. Vokoun carried the Penguins through the playoffs last year, so Fleury will really need to be on top of his game. Expect this Penguins team to be at the top or finish second in the Metro.

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PHILADELPHIA FLYERS 

When I look at the Flyers, I see a team who has top tier offensive talent, but lacks the overall fear I would normally have in a Flyers team. There is no question their talent at forward is one of the better looking ones in the division.  Claude Giroux is one of the most talented and gifted players in the NHL and will be the team leader in points. Jakub Voracek had a breakout season recording 46 points in a short year while Scott Hartnell will look to bounce back after breaking his foot and only scored 16 points. Wayne Simmonds and Matt Read had nice years, while Sean Couturier and Brayden Schenn need to improve after producing well below what was expected of them last year. Newest addition Vincent Lecavalier, who is replacing the departed Danny Briere, should be the second line center and if healthy, he will have a similar role he shared in Tampa over the past few years. On defense, the Flyers had more injures than they could have imagined and were never able to recover. Kimmo Timonen had 29 points on defense and Luke Schenn was nothing special. Their biggest addition was Mark Streit who will ease the pressure of Timonen and become the quarterback of the power play. Health will be a huge determent again as to how well this team does. It’s never the Flyers unless they are having goaltending issues, and always, they are. Gone is head case Ilya Bryzgalov, and a tandem of sub-par goaltending in Steve Mason and Ray Emery will be called upon to play well beyond their better years.  I expect the Flyers to finish either third or fourth in the division.

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WASHINGTON CAPITALS

The Capitals were the Southeast Division winners last year, but this year they join the Wild West run-and-gun Metropolitan Division  where they will need to learn how to defend.  Adam Oates needs more credit for revitalizing Alex Ovechkin’s career, forcing him to right wing where scored a league-high 32 goals and won his third Hart Trophy. Ovechkin seemed lost and many were starting to wonder if this was beginning of the end to his career as an elite player.  But Oates brought out in Ovi what he had been missing for the last two seasons, and Ovi seems to have responded. Mikhail Grabovski was a big pick up and should be the second line center after losing Mike Ribeiro. He has a scoring reputation that the Capitals love and top to the bottom, the Caps have four sound lines. Brooks Laich and Nicklas Backstrom should have no problem putting up their expected point totals for another strong Washington offense. The Capitals defense is a big question this year. The big names; Mike Green, Karl Alzner and John Carlson will be fine, but it is the other three remaining defensemen who bring a lot questions. Green obviously will need to stay healthy, as this has become a re-occurring problem for him. The final three defensemen will be names like John Erskine, Tomas Kundratek and Dmitry Orlov. Erskine is the name that many will recognize and is someone the Capitals will need to perform as bottom type defenseman. The goaltender job is Braden Holtby’s to lose, but seems to have finally answer the call as to who should be starting. He had a strong end to his season, but struggled in the playoffs leading to questions if he was the right goalie. He is, but will need to show it was not a fluke. It can be said the team in front of him did not play well, but this is a team effort and he deserves equal blame.  I predict the Capitals will finish somewhere around third or fourth in the division, competing with Philadelphia for one of those spots.

As you can see, the Metro Division is going to be a tightly contested division, with tons of star power battling for supremacy. The headlines are there, the stars are there, and the excitement will surely be there. For our money, here is who we expect to receive the automatic bids out of the Metro this season:

Pittsburgh

Rangers

Capitals

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The NHL Needs Sidney Crosby

March 6, 2013 by Leave a Comment

sid
Let’s flash back to March 2012: The Pittsburgh Penguins were flying high in the midst of a dominant season from Evgeni Malkin, which saw him score 50 goals and win the Hart Trophy for most valuable player.. The entire team was clicking, despite star defenseman Kris Letang and captain Sidney Crosby both being out with concussions. It was the second time Crosby missed extended time during the 2011-12 season due to concussions. The outlook for Pens fans in regard to their captain was not one of tremendous hope. After a triumphant return on November 21 against the Islanders that saw Crosby burst back into the game with a four-point night and a highlight reel goal  in the opening minutes, Crosby looked to be right where he left off after suffering two concussions in early January 2011. His recovery was a long and arduous process that began with him unable to even watch TV due to his post-concussion symptoms, which eventually progressed toward light practices and then eventually full practices. The sports reports were flooded with stories like “Crosby working towards comeback,” “Crosby progressing” and “no timetable for a return” being thrown around on a daily basis. Upon his triumphant return, the excitement brewed, only to crash with the news less than a month later that his concussion symptoms had returned.

At this point, serious questions arose about Sid’s career being over and it was more than warranted. With the increased scrutiny in professional sports about the long term effects of concussions, and the examples of players like Marc Savard and Eric Lindros, the focus the turned into concern for his health and quality of life. Thankfully for Pens fans and hockey fans in general, Crosby was able to return in March 2012, and has not missed a game since. After a ridiculous, unfathomable playoff series against Philadelphia last season that saw the Pens make an unexpected first-round exit, but also saw Crosby remain healthy through the end of the season and the playoffs, the topic of his health did not matter anymore. In addition to that, the three-month long NHL lockout only put more time between Sid’s last headshot, only helping him to heal further.
So here we are, just past the quarter-point of the shortened season and Sid is back to his old form. He is currently one point behind Steven Stamkos for the scoring lead and has posted six games this year with at least three points. When their respective teams met head–to-head on Sunday night, Crosby tied and passed Penguin great Rick Kehoe for third place on the team’s all-time scoring list. The Penguins have had some of the greatest players in hockey history over the years: Larry Murphy, Joey Mullen and Ron Francis, in addition to players who have had long-term success in Pittsburgh like Martin Straka, Kevin Stevens and Mark Recchi. Sidney Crosby, at the ripe old age of 25 years old, now sits third on that list, trailing only Jaromir Jagr and Mario Lemieux.

Love him or hate him, the NHL NEEDS Sidney Crosby. He is one of the most polarizing figures in professional sports today. Some describe him as incredible, others a diver. Some would say he’s a class act, others a baby. There is no doubt that more venom is sent Crosby’s way than anyone else in the game today, some for personal reasons (he’s a whiner, he’s a baby, etc.) and some just because of his skill, yet he handles it with class daily, all while performing at the highest level. His interviews are boring because he just says the right thing every single time, and it’s truthfully never worth watching one of his interviews. He passes the credit people throw at him around, downplays his accomplishments and focuses on the next task. The game is better with Sidney Crosby in it, and the NHL needs him. They need him for the rivalries with the Flyers, Rangers and Capitals. They need him to draw fans to opposing arenas to boo him every time he touches the puck. They need him as an ambassador to the game, and they need him for the exposure and notoriety. With everything that “The Kid” has been through the past couple seasons, Penguins fans and hockey fans alike should be glad he is back in the game and healthy, returning to his peak dominant form,  whether you’re rooting for the Pens to win, or to lose. Let’s face it, even if you are not a Penguins fan, a healthy Sidney Crosby makes any game your team plays against them just that much more exciting.

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NHL Fantasy Preview!

January 16, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Where does Malkin sit on the list of top centers for 2013?

Where does Malkin sit on the list of top centers for 2013?

With the lockout now over, the NHL is prepping for a marathon sprint of a season. With a 48-game schedule in the works and due to be released in the next day or so, the wheels of hockey are once again churning, and it is almost time to drop the puck. For those of us who play fantasy hockey, if you’re like me, you’ve probably not kept up with any of the players playing overseas, and have not had a chance to make your “big board” for your draft. Since autopick is never an option, here is your crash course for your top picks for your fantasy drafts. Please keep in mind these rankings are for standard scoring leagues.

Claude Giroux

Claude Giroux

Center

1. Evgeni Malkin – Pittsburgh

*Coming off of an MVP season in the NHL last year, Malkin has continued his dominance overseas in the KHL posting 65 points in 37 games during the lockout. With a healthy Sidney Crosby back in the fold, look out.

2. Sidney Crosby – Pittsburgh

*Speak of the devil, Crosby is primed to terrorize the NHL like he did prior to suffering multiple concussions. The best player in the world is back and healthy for the first time in two-and-a-half years, and with the short season, his point production heavily outweighs the risk of injury for your team.

3. Steven Stamkos – Tampa Bay

*Stamkos is working his way to the prime of his career, and the goal scoring machine is usually a fast starter during the season, if he’s around when your pick is up, he’s a pretty safe pick.

4. Claude Giroux – Philadelphia

*While Giroux will push Crosby, Malkin and company for the scoring title and MVP, he was injured with another concussion while playing in Germany. He left his team a month or so ago to go seek help from Dr. Ted Carrick, the same doctor who helped return Sidney Crosby for good. While Giroux should be good to go, the injuries are a point of concern.

5. Henrik Sedin – Vancouver*Either Sedin is always a good pick up in fantasy. They always post globs of points and Henrik is terrific at faceoffs, but hits and PIMs are going to be hard to come by.

6. John Tavares – New York (Islanders)

*A budding superstar in the NHL, Tavares is a fantastic all-around talent and plays in every situation. He is the type of player that can keep your team competitive when you’re having the fantasy-dreaded “off week”.

7. Eric Staal – Carolina

*Staal has been around seemingly forever, but at age 28, he is in the prime of his career. Always a top fantasy player, the Hurricanes’ lineup will be bolstered by the addition of Jordan Staal, and that may energize Eric as well.

8. David Backes – St. Louis

*Backes could be a great sleeper pick. Not too many casual hockey fans know about him, but he makes a great addition to any team. While he won’t be pushing 100 points, even in an 82-game season, Backes is consistent point producer and plays with an edge helping out your hits and PIMs.

9. Brad Richards – New York (Rangers)

*Don’t let the addition of Rick Nash to the Rangers fool you, this is still a John Tortorella coached team and defense comes first. Thank being said, Richards is one of the premier passers in the league and is playing with Nash and Marian Gaborik.

10. Anze Kopitar – Los Angeles

*Kopitar burst on to the national scene last season during the Kings’ run to the Stanley Cup. Kopitar though has always been a valuable fantasy player and looks only to continue that trend this season.

Alex Ovechkin

Alex Ovechkin

Left Wingers

1. Alex Ovechkin – Washington

*The great 8 will be looking to burst out of the gates the season and one can expect that first year Caps coach Adam Oates will unleash Ovechkin without restriction. Looking to return to form and just oozing with talent and skill. Despite previous down seasons, Ovi is still a good choice as a top pick.

2. Ilya Kovalchuk – New Jersey

*Kovalchuk really came into his own as a Devil last season, and despite losing team captain Zach Parise through free agency, Kovalchuk looks to pick up right where he left off for the Eastern Conference champion Devils.

3. James Neal – Pittsburgh

*After a dreadful late 2010-’11  with the Pens after coming over from Dallas, Neal enjoyed a terrific full season with Pittsburgh last year posting 40 goals and 81 points. Oh yeah, he’ll be working a power play unit with Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang.

4. Daniel Sedin – Vancouver

*See Henrik Sedin, subtract faceoffs

5. Milan Lucic – Boston

*Lucic is coming into the season healthy and that is huge for the style that he plays. Lucic will be a force at even strength and on the power play and will add to your fantasy teams toughness stats such as hits and PIMs

6. Zach Parise – Minnesota

*I wouldn’t expect Parise to come out of the gates hot. He spent his entire career with Jersey and now that he is in his first year with the Wild, you have to account for an adjustment period. With Parise’s talent and work ethic, don’t pencil in TOO much time to adjust, he will be a solid pick for any team sooner rather than later.

7. Taylor Hall – Edmonton

*With the shortened schedule, young guys like Hall and his Oiler teammates could be surprise names at the top of the scoring charts. Hall has improved his play every year since being the first overall pick in 2010. If Hall can stay healthy, he has the potential to be one of your team’s top players.

8. Scott Hartnell – Philadelphia

*The long-maned Hartnell will miss departed future Hall of Famer Jaromir Jagr from his line, but playing with Claude Giroux still bodes well for Hartnell’s fantasy line. Hartnell also isn’t afraid of  a little confrontation  and gets significant power play time.

9. Rick Nash – New York (Rangers)

*While the newly acquired Nash could be a force in the stats, his attitude (at times) mixed with coach Tortorella’s attitude (at times) may not be a good mixture and with Torts running an extremely defensive minded team, the fantasy points by Nash may come at a slower clip than expected.

10. Loui Eriksson – Dallas

*Eriksson is bar none the most underrated player in the NHL today. With a ton of size and a great skill set, he will flourish offensively with the additions of Derek Roy and Jaromir Jagr to the Stars and the emergence of Stars’ star Jamie Benn

Patrick Kane

Patrick Kane

Right Wing

1. Phil Kessel – Toronto

*This may be the year that Toronto finally reaches the postseason,and Phil Kessel will be a big part of that. After finding his scoring stride early last year, he anchored the Leafs top line through a tantalizing three-quarters  of a season before the Leafs collapsed and fell out of contention. Look for Kessel and the Leafs to come out of the gates hot again.

2. Patrick Sharp – Chicago

*Sharp has the ability to play any forward position and is a consistent point producer. He will add to your team’s entire offensive stat line and plus-minus as well.

3. Corey Perry – Anaheim

*Entering a contract year, Perry will look to get off to a great start. If you can overcome the plus-minus stat that is sure to be lousy from playing on Anaheim’s lousy team, Perry will be a great draft choice. A 50-goal scorer and former MVP, he should still look every bit of each of those.

4. Tyler Seguin – Boston

*Another budding superstar in the league, the blazing fast Seguin sees time in every situation for the Bruins. Look for him to be a consistent producer of every good stat your fantasy league has to offer.

5. Jarome Iginla – Calgary

*While entering the twilight of his career, Iginla can still play at a high level. He may be a good investment pick seeing as he will still produce with Calgary’s OK team, but should the Flames fall out of contention, Iginla may be moved to a contender.

6. Jordan Eberle – Edmonton

*While he hasn’t put his skills together to the fullest yet and pushed the Ovechkins and Malkins of the league for a scoring title, Eberle has still been a consistent young star with the upstart Oilers. With the likes of Taylor Hall, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Nail Yakapov, and Ryan Whitney playing with Eberle, the point potential is there.

7. Patrick Kane – Chicago

*After an off season, Kane looks back to return to his dynamic form  from the Cup winning season. Loaded with talent and playing with Jonathan Toews, Kane is another safe, proven pick for your team.

8. Martin St. Louis – Tampa Bay

*A perennial fantasy stud, St. Louis is getting older, however he still provides valuable production for any fantasy team even in the most competitive of leagues. Playing with Stamkos and Vincent Lecavalier won’t hurt either.

9. Jeff Skinner – Carolina

*Skinner is another young emerging star that the NHL boasts, however he has had injury trouble the last couple years. Being a smaller player, he faces that risk, but the additions of Jordan Staal and Alex Semin to the Hurricanes should offer more time and space for Skinner.

10. Joe Pavelski – San Jose

*A type of under-the-radar player, Pavelski has seen better and better seasons each year he has been around. Although he is listed as a winger, he also sees time at center, adding to your squad’s faceoff stats.

Erik Karlsson

Erik Karlsson

Defense

1.Erik Karlsson – Ottawa

*The defending Norris Trophy winner, and deservedly so, Karlsson is primed for another great season. Although Ottawa’s season was somewhat of an overachievement last year, a lot of its  success hinges on Karlsson. He will see plenty of ice time and will put up a ton of points.

2. Kris Letang – Pittsburgh

*After an injury-derailing season last year, Letang looks to get back on track as an elite defender in the NHL. Before concussion issues sidelined him last year, Letang was neck-and-neck with Karlsson for the defensive scoring lead and Norris consideration. As far as fantasy goes, Letang may not put up as many points playing on a star-studded Penguins team, but Letang plays with more of an edge than Karlsson, so his PIMs will help, and his +/- will probably be better as well.

3. Dustin Byfuglien – Winnipeg

*All around talent aside, Byfuglien brings versatility to your lineup, as well as Winnipeg’s. In most leagues, he is listed as a defenseman and a winger. Although he will see the occasional forward shift with the Jets, he is a top pairing defenseman. This bodes well for your team if he is on it because you can slot him in a forward position, while he is playing defense, therefore he sees more ice time. His style of play sees him stock up on a ton hits and shots, along with working the point on the power play.

4. Brian Campbell – Florida

*A solid overall pickup every year, expect a pump in Campbell’s numbers coming off of a solid year last season. The Panthers were an underrated squad last year, and took the eventual Eastern Conference champion Devils to double OT of Game 7 in their series. Campbell’s fantasy numbers dropped late last season, so as a veteran, he may benefit from the short season.

5. Zdeno Chara – Boston

*Chara is a fantasy stud year after year and this season should be no different. One of the safest picks on D as his production is consistent and being a behemoth, his durability is of little concern.

6. Shea Weber – Nashville

*While Weber is still the premier total package defenseman in the league today, the loss of Ryan Suter via free agency could hurt Weber’s fantasy numbers. Don’t be surprised if, in typical Predators’ fashion, the next man steps up (Kevin Klein), and Weber and the Preds don’t miss a beat.

7. Alex Pietrangelo – St. Louis

*This will be the year that Pietrangelo solidifies himself as a top-tier defenseman in the NHL. Benefitting from the great coaching of Ken Hitchcock, the Blues rode Hitch all the way to the playoffs last season. In a jam-packed Western Conference and Central Division, the young Blues team is primed to make a run this season, and Pietrangelo will be a catalyst for that. A wildcard in terms of fantasy players, Pietrangelo sees a ton of ice time for the Blues in all situations, but the Blues have been inconsistent in the scoring department winning a lot of goaltending duels.

8. Dan Boyle – San Jose

*Another perennial fantasy producer, Boyle is in good position to put up another good season with the Sharks. Boyle is not an overwhelmingly physical player, but he puts a ton of pucks on net, works the point on the power play and has a great outlet pass that can set some of the younger Sharks’ players up to score off the rush. Expect his plus-minus, assists and power play Points to compete for best in the league, however don’t expect a ton of goals.

9. Ryan Suter – Minnesota

*Suter is finally out from the Shea Weber shadow he played his entire career under and is now the top dog on the Minnesota Wild blueline. While he may not see too much of an increase in time on the power play, expect an increase in shots, goals and assists, now that he won’t have to defer to Weber. The only caveat to his fantasy numbers maybe his plus-minus seeing as the Wild are not nearly as sound defensively or in net as the Predators were with Suter.

10. Drew Doughty – Los Angeles

*Doughty is looking to build off of an impressive run to the Cup with the Kings last season, that saw him provide some splash plays. Doughty’s offensive numbers will be there as he quarterbacks the Kings top power play unit, but defensively he is not on an elite level yet. While still young and learning the position, Doughty’s fantasy value can vary from offensive specialist to all-around stud.

Jonathan Quick

Jonathan Quick

Goalies

1.Henrik Lundqvist – New York (Rangers)

*Coming off an exceptional year that saw him win the Vezina Trophy for best goaltender and garner serious MVP consideration, look for more of the same from King Henrik this season. The Rangers play a stifling defense-first system and sport an impressive core of young defensive talent who gained some valuable experience last year with the Rangers’ run to the Eastern Conference Finals. The addition of Rick Nash will also help Lundqvist as it will be hard for the other team to get quality scoring chances on him while they are playing more defense in their own end.

2. Jonathan Quick – Los Angeles

*Last year’s Conn Smythe winner, Quick was no doubt the single biggest reason that the Kings not only won the Cup, but even made the playoffs. Quick backstopped an abysmal Kings’ offense by posting shutout after shutout last season and keeping every game within reach for the Kings to win. Once the Kings found their scoring touch, well the rest is history. Look for Quick to see less shots per game this season behind a defending champion Kings team that is only getting better.

3. Pekka Rinne – Nashville

*Although the Preds lost a top-pairing defenseman in Ryan Suter, expect this season to be more of the same Nashville Predators perseverance against all odds type of year. Although, aside from Shea Weber, the Predators lack superstar power up front, Rinne is a superstar caliber player, destined to toil in the anonymity of Nashville in the NHL. Rinne will be available in many leagues for a while, while bigger names come off the board. Don’t be afraid to take Rinne over the likes of Ward, Fleury or even Luongo.

4. Mike Smith – Phoenix

*Another leader of a band of misfits, the Phoenix Coyotes will go as far as Mike Smith takes them. From a fantasy perspective, Smith may not post the most shutouts, but his goals against average and save percentage will be tough to match. Smith could even compete for the Vezina this year if Phoenix has another outstanding year.

5. Jaroslav Halak – St. Louis

*Halak is another solid overall choice and shutout machine playing in a defensive system. Halak has proven himself as a big time goalie in Montreal and St. Louis, single-handedly shutting down the likes of Malkin, Ovechkin, and Crosby in playoff series. One problem that presents itself with Halak is the stellar play of his goaltending partner, Brian Elliot. The tandem posted outstanding numbers last year and although Halak’s stellar play earned him the starting gig, Elliot’s play earned him significant playing time, even in a backup role.

6. Cory Schneider – Vancouver

*Schneider is in line for his first season as a starter in the NHL after overtaking the much maligned Roberto Luongo as the starter in Vancouver. Although Luongo’s play has been wildly inconsistent, Schneider’s outstanding play down the stretch last season cemented his role as starter this season and forcing the Canucks hand in probably dealing Luongo. With amazing talent himself while getting the majority of the starts, Schneider will be playing behind one of the best defensive corps in the game, so expect his wins to be near the top of the league along with his goals against average.

7. Ryan Miller – Buffalo

*Buffalo’s only hope at a successful season, Miller is looking to rebound off a sub-par season for himself. Miller is one of the most talented goaltenders in the league and arguably the most valuable to his team. If Miller’s save percentage and goals against numbers are in good standing, so will his, and Buffalo’s wins. You can also expect Miller to face a lot of shots playing behind a less than overwhelming Sabres offense.

8. Carey Price – Montreal

*Price is a phenomenal talent that has people drawing comparisons between him and Patrick Roy. Although he isn’t quite in the same breath as Roy, he is a fantastic goalie on an average team. Price’s shots faced and save percentage look to be quite high, although his wins and goals against average may leave a lot to be desired playing behind the Habs skaters.

9. Tuukka Rask – Boston

*After losing his starting job to the enigmatic Tim Thomas and seeing Thomas post one of the best seasons from a goalie in recent history, Rask has his starting job back with Thomas sitting out the year because he’s a complete weirdo. This, however, doesn’t change the fact that Rask is a terrific goaltender playing on a great team. Rask’s stat line probably won’t feature one mind-blowing stat after another but will see a solid line all the way across. Rask is not an ideal workhorse for a fantasy team but can be a tremendous compliment to your main keeper.

10. Marc-Andre Fleury – Pittsburgh

*Ok, forget about the redonkulous playoff series loss to the Flyers last year. Fleury is a perennial  regular season stud. Last season, many of the Penguins players were pushing for Fleury to receive MVP and Vezina consideration. While teammate Evgeni Malkin won the MVP and Fleury wound up with consideration for neither award, he still posted a fantastic regular season. This season, Fleury has the privilege of playing behind the likes of Crosby, Malkin, James Neal and Kris Letang, just to name a few. Fleury may be a fantasy trap though as he will not put up too many shutouts and his save percentage and shots faced will not be overwhelming, however his wins, and goals against average may be too good to pass up.

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All We Want for Christmas is Hockey: Top 10 Most Missed Players

December 24, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Henrick Lundqvist makes a beauty of a save! Where is he on our top 10?

Henrick Lundqvist makes a beauty of a save! Where is he on our top 10?

It is now mid-December and the NHL and NHLPA not only have yet to strike deal for a new collective bargaining agreement, but seem to be taking steps backwards as some of the biggest egos in professional sports continue to make this lockout about themselves and not the game. We are all frustrated as hell, and are sick to death of the daily public relations battles taking place in the media. So today, I’ve put together a list of the Top 10 players I miss watching play on a nightly basis.

10. Jordan Eberle – forward, Edmonton Oilers

Jordan Eberle is a fantastic young player and the captain-In-waiting for the young upstart Edmonton Oilers. The 22-year-old winger has put up some pretty good numbers throughout his brief NHL career, playing in 147 games and posting 52 goals and 67 assists for 119 points. More impressive than his stat line is actually watching this kid play. He is truly one of the smartest hockey players in the league today. I have said it once, and I will say it a thousand more times, Eberle is going to give the Crosby- Malkin- Ovechkin- Stamkos – Giroux group a run for their money as best player in the world sooner rather than later. Eberle has a knack for scoring big goals and always seems to be one step ahead of the play. His on-ice demeanor is reminiscent of Steve Yzerman…. perhaps one of the best compliments you can pay to a player.

9. Shea Weber – defenseman, Nashville Predators

If I am starting a franchise tomorrow, Weber would be the first defenseman I pick up if I have the chance. He is one of those players who dominates in nearly every facet of the game. He is big, strong, fast and skilled. Weber is the type of player that you create on your favorite video game to just dominate everyone. Weber has a supersonic shot, a snarly style of physicality and deservedly-so wears the “C” on his sweater in Nashville. He IS their franchise, especially since signing that massive blockbuster free agency deal in the offseason. You pretty much have to have the NHL Center Ice package to ever see him play as Nashville is the NHL equivalent to the Sacramento Kings of the NBA. They’re the team you always forget exists because they are never on TV and national newsworthy news rarely comes out of there, but Shea Weber is reason enough to tune in to Preds games if you have the opportunity. He is the prototypical defenseman in the league today, and the measuring stick for all others at his position

8. Pavel Datsyuk – forward, Detroit Red Wings

Entering the twilight era of his career, Datsyuk is still a treat to watch. By far the slickest player in the NHL, his hands are a gift from the hockey gods. I miss seeing Pavel trapped in a corner and tiptoe out through the defenders by putting a couple quick moves on his man, turning them inside out, then proceeding to generate a prime scoring chance.Lets face it, he finishes the play more times than not. The creativity with the puck that Datsyuk shows in one-on-one situations and shootouts is unparalleled in the league today. Quite honestly, he makes some of the best defenders and goalies in the league look ridiculous. Datsyuk and fellow Red Wing Henrik Zetterberg are the reigning faces of Hockeytown, which is reason enough to tune in to watch them play. But the flash that Datsyuk has mixed with his flare for showing how skilled he is should make any hockey fan miss watching him. In addition to the skill, he is often times nominated for the Lady Byng trophy for most gentlemanly player, so you don’t have to deal with a Sidney Crosby-esque yapping at the officials or Sean Avery-esque shenanigans.

7. Alex Ovechkin – forward, Washington Capitals

Despite The Great 8’s drop in production over the last couple seasons, there are few players as fun to watch as Ovechkin. His combination of size, speed and skill is truly unique. He has a laser beam of a shot that has the accuracy of Bruce Lee’s nunchucks and can be one of the most in-your-face players in the league. He is one of the few players in the league that keeps the crowd on the edge of their seat, no matter what arena in which he’s playing. Another aspect of Ovechkin’s game that makes him fun to watch is how physically involved he gets in games, which is rare for a star player of his caliber. He does not back down from anyone and can even take on the role of agitator, just ask Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Scott Hartnell. Ovechkin at his best is the most entertaining player to watch in the league but unfortunately over the past few seasons, Ovi at his best seems to come out only occasionally and he has had trouble consistently playing at a level that saw him pot 60 goals in a season.

6. Erik Karlsson – defenseman, Ottawa Senators

The smooth-skating Karlsson is another member of the up-and-comers club in the NHL and is coming off of his breakout season. The 22-year-old Swede finished third in the 2011-2012 season in assists with 59, and tenth in the NHL in points with 78 points in 81 games. His efforts were acknowledged with a Norris Trophy nomination for best defenseman in the league. Karlsson is a treat to watch because of his skating. He can move up and down the rink nearly effortlessly. Karlsson also has a mad offensive prowess and is a nightmare for penalty killers to defend on the power play. His shot won’t overwhelm goalies but his accuracy is surgeon-like. He can put a pass on his teammates tape from 150 feet away, or he can skate the puck out of trouble if needed. Although he is not physically dominant in his own zone, he sees the game well enough to play sound positional defense. When this youngster is playing, he jumps out at you and is a standout on a nightly basis.

5. Zdeno Chara – defenseman, Boston Bruins

“Big Z”, as he is known to teammates and friends, is a monster in multiple ways. Towering above the league at 6 feet 9 and 255 pounds, Chara is an imposing force on the back end for the Bruins. A full display of his physical strength was on display when he nearly killed Montreal’s Max Pacioretty when he checked him into the stanchion between the two teams’ benches. In addition to his freakish physical specs, Chara is a dangerous player and fun to watch because of his skill. He has the hardest slap shot in the league and he uses it quite often. He is an anchor on the Bruins power play and has the numbers to justify all the ice time he gets. I also enjoy watching Chara skate up and down the ice. With his long swooping strides, he may not be the most graceful player, but he certainly is effective.

4. Henrik and Daniel Sedin – forwards, Vancouver Canucks

The twins have been running the show in Vancouver ever since they were drafted second and third overall in the 1999 entry draft. For those of you who have never had a chance to watch these two play together, do yourself a favor and hit up YouTube and watch the mastery that the twins have in the offensive zone. Perhaps as a duo, the Sedins are the most creative and inventive playmakers in the league, tending to leave defenders befuddled and looking foolish. The two have been playing on the same line their ENTIRE life and it shows. They know where each other are at all times on the ice and together generate at least a couple tic-tac-toe or give-and-go plays per game. The Canucks pushed Boston to Game 7 of the 2011 Stanley Cup Final before falling to the Bruins, so in their 40-year existence , the Canucks have yet to capture a Cup. The brothers are in starting the downside of their careers, even though one of the brothers is always in the hunt for a scoring title and any hopes that Vancouver has rests on the shoulders of the Sedins and whichever goalie is in-between the pipes. I really wish we could watch them on their quest for glory in North America instead of the Swedish Elite League.

3. Claude Giroux – forward, Philadelphia Flyers

Giroux is coming off a fantastic season in which he emerged as one of the true superstars in this league, finishing third overall in scoring with 93 points, despite missing five games with a concussion last season. Giroux was partly responsible for the re-emergence of former superstar Jaromir Jagr when he played with Giroux and Scott Hartnell last season. Philadelphia is perhaps one of the most hostile environments in all of sports and Giroux flourishes there. He brings the mob to their feet on a nightly basis with his incredible display of skill and brains. Over the past couple seasons, Giroux has emerged as Philadelphia’s heart and soul, and a great antithesis to Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. Giroux can play with those guys and once the puck drops again on an NHL season, Giroux will once again insert himself into the conversation of world’s best player, as long as the Crosby-like concussion issue that he currently is dealing with clears up. Having been injured playing in Germany during the lockout, Giroux has returned to the States to seek similar treatment as Crosby had with his well-documented concussion issues.

2. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin – forwards, Pittsburgh Penguins

Two of the games utmost elite talents, entering the prime of their careers and both having played the best hockey of their careers recently, what’s not to love about these two? We all remember the other-worldly tear that Sidney Crosby was on before his concussion problems derailed the better part of the next two seasons. We also remember Evgeni Malkin putting on GameShark for the 2009 playoffs and leading the Penguins to the Stanley Cup. Last season, Malkin had the goal of the year (which was one of 50 that he scored all year) and won the scoring title and MVP. At the ages of 25 and 26, Crosby and Malkin have won every noteworthy award between the two of them; Stanley Cup, Conn Smythe, Rocket Richard Trophy, Lester B. Pearson award and so on and so forth. Pundits of the game have had one of these two as the best player in the game for the past three seasons or so. Both are one of a kind talents and bring different aspects to each game for the Penguins. Malkin has a blistering shot and has won the accuracy shooting at the All Star game, while Crosby is a cerebral assassin, and uses his brain as a weapon, always seeming to be in the right spot. These two are separately worth the price of admission each night, but together, it is the best deal in hockey.

  1. Henrik Lundqvist – goaltender, New York Rangers

King Henrik, for my money, is the most exciting player to watch in the NHL. He plays the toughest position in professional sports, in one of the toughest and most historic arenas in history, for one of the most demanding coaches in the league and he excels. Fresh off his Vezina Trophy victory last season for best goaltender in the league, Lundqvist will be looking to get off to a hot start next season. His play last season was truly MVP-worthy and his dominance in the playoffs helped the Rangers push the Devils to six games in the Eastern Conference Finals, only being bested by the best netminder of my generation, Martin Brodeur. There is nothing in the game more fun to watch than a goaltender put on a brilliant display in a game, and Lundqvist does it nightly. The Rangers are an Original Six team having had many great players throughout their existence, and Lundqvist is surely up there with some of the best. Henrik is one of those rare goalies that could easily be his teams captain, and garners the respect of his coaches, teammates, fans and media alike.

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Thank you for reading The Cover 4! Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook & Twitter.

Oh yeah, tell your friends too!

Pat Davis
Sports Activist for The Cover 4
http://www.facebook.com/thecover4
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Filed Under: Hockey Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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